{attack of the pollen}

March 31, 2010

Do you want to know what I hate about Spring? Pollen. When I got to work today the sidewalks were literally yellow from all the pollen that had fallen overnight. Yuck!

{photo}
I have sneezed constantly for days now. And to make it worse once I sneeze it doesn't stop until after I've sneezed about 7 times and my class goes from "Bless you" to "What is wrong with you" and breaking out in giggles because I sneeze so high pitch. Does anyone else sneeze funny?

At the same time I love the flowers and everything else about Spring. I just wish pollen didn't exist. To be honest I am so excited about Easter. I just love getting my Easter basket from my Mom every year. Nothing is better than Cadbury Egg, Peeps, and every kind of traditional candy you can stuff into my basket.



{photo}
And might I add I also found a pic of a deep fried Cadbury Egg while hunting for a picture of just a regular one.  I must try that. I bet it taste like heaven

So tell me, what is you favorite Easter candy?


Read More

Pics and Casserole, and Pics of Casserole

March 26, 2010

It has been quite a long week. Longer than the week before spring break for sure. And as the older teachers are referring to it "the sap is rising." Whatever that means. But it has been sheer chaos for sure.

Yesterday I met up with Katie May of TwoSuez Photography to pick up my reprints and needless to say they are stinking awesome. But I am so in love with how she wrapped them up I almost don't want to take them out to frame them.

Here is the other side of the tag.

Just way to cute, she needs to go into designing gift wrap. But maybe I'm just biased because I love love love Katie and every single picture her or Heather has ever posted on their site!

..............................................................

I realized this week I have never posted my recipe for Aztec Casserole. This recipe has kind of morphed from what it originally was in the Abs Diet. But I had to make it satisfy my taste...it has far too many different beans in it for me.

Aztec Casserole
Ingredients:
1lb ground turkey
2c shredded cheddar cheese
1 can pinto or black beans
1 can rotel
1 c chopped cilantro
1/4 c lime juice
1 can corn
2 cups brown rice
1 small can of adobo sauce
2 tbsp cumin
salt & pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 medium onion
1 medium-large bell pepper

Start off sauteing your onion and pepper. After they have softened add your ground turkey and garlic. While the turkey is browning add your seasonings including your adobo sauce.


 Chances are if you live near a Walmart like mine they may have adobo sauce one day and not the next. If this is the case buy the stuff below, remove all the peppers and add the sauce to your meat. I even added a few peppers chopped up for a little added heat.
While all of this has been going on I hope you had the good sense to boil some water. Now if you suck at cooking rice like I do(yeah I can make flan from scratch but rice always kicks my butt) throw in your 10 min. boil in a bag rice.
Once your meat is browned as well as turkey will brown, which is still slightly tan, drain your corn, rotel, and beans and throw in the mixture. I usually have to rinse off whatever that slimy junk is that is on beans.
Once your rice is done toss with meat mixture in a decent size casserole dish.

Rough chop about one cup, unless you like more, of cilantro, add lime juice and combine. 
Sprinkle top with cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and bubbly.


.................................................

Even though I shouldn't I am going to post the recipe for the chicken I made last Sunday. We are doing the Hollywood Diet this weekend, yes I know detox like that is bad,  and posting about food is probably going to be the death of me during a 48 hour detox.
Read More

It is really not Wednesday yet?

March 23, 2010

Can you say "long couple of days?" We had company Sunday and after work and class yesterday I am near dead tonight. And yes I skipped my class tonight...I had to have a break before I got sick from overrunning myself this week.(hey I used a vocabulary word for this week, overrun;) haha) During spring break I got the motivation up to start working out again, it's been hard this semester, and decided the only way I would stick to it is to work out at 5am before I took a shower for work. Two days in an I am still doing it. I have heard two weeks makes a habit so hopefully two weeks of 5am P90X yoga will become a habit. I'd do it after work but I have minimal daylight hours between class and sleepy time...plus I'm just dang tired. Still can't believe I use to not understand why my Mom was so tired after work(she's a teacher), being a student is way easier than standing and yapping all day. At least it is fun. After the crazy stuff that happened today I can't help but call this entertaining.

You seriously won't believe me but the kids during lunch started complaining because some kid "flipped them off." Turns out it was a Pre-K kid. The way the whole thing played out was priceless.

When I get more time I have two recipe post, one new, and one I've made forever and never posted.

Hope y'all have a great week.
Read More

Can We Get Remarried So I Can Wear This Dress?

March 19, 2010

Oh my goodness why did I not see this dress when I was dress hunting. It is absolutely to die for! And it had pockets!!! Have I told you how much I love dresses with pockets, well I do.
J. Crew description:
Genevieve silk radzimir gown Pure magic in a very rare fabric usually reserved for royal weddings and haute couture—so rare, we could make only a few of these beautiful dresses. Luxurious midweight Italian silk radzimir with delicate spaghetti straps. Fitted bodice, full skirt with inverted box pleats and shirring for volume. Back zip hidden with self-covered buttons. Hidden on-seam pockets. Fully lined. Falls to floor.

Love love love some J.Crew dresses. Oh how I wish I would have seen this beauty. 
Read More

Cannolis with Chocolate Orange filling

March 18, 2010

Cannoli. Yum. I made these once when Jeremy and I started dating and considering he actually requested them today I had to make them, considering he rarely request things.

What you will need:
15oz low fat ricotta
3/4c powdered sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp coco powder
zest of 1/2 an orange
1/2c chocolate chips
1 pkg cannoli shells
Mix vanilla, orange zest, coco, ricotta cheese, cinnamon, and powdered sugar. I used my stand mixer but this would do just as well in a food processor or by hand. The food processor would make the mixture a lot smoother though.
After those ingredients are mixed well add your chocolate chips and mix on the lowest speed until well blended.
Now if you are like me and don't own a pastry bag use a Ziploc bag and spoon the mixture in.
Now snip a small opening in the end an voila you have a "good enough" pastry bag.

Okie dokie, now grab your shells and get to piping. Place the tip of your bag about halfway in your shell and squeeze to fill to the end.

Repeat on the opposite side.
After you get them all filled place them back in the cannoli container, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Place them it the fridge and let them set for at least 30 minutes. At this point it is very temping to take the whole thing and lock yourself in a room and chow down. Resist the urge. Put them back in the fridge and watch something on TV that isn't food network so you won't get that idea again.

...............

For the past few weeks Jeremy has been working on a Vespa for a friend. The sucker wouldn't run. Well now it does. And he rode the thing all over the back yard. I just hope the neighbors didn't see. He just looked a little funny circling the trampoline.

Oh, I don't know about other dogs but Ellie and Maddie sure are loving the pretty spring weather.

The only thing they like more then just the weather is the fact that Jer left the shed open while he mowed the yard. They take advantage of any chance to snoop around.
Read More

{quackheads}

My grandfather just sent me a link to this article. Way to funny, I just had to share. 

Bad joke? ACSO makes drug arrest

Published Wednesday, March 17, 2010

NATCHEZ — A man, his wife and their duck got into a sheriff deputy’s car.
It’s not the start of a bad joke, but the middle of an Adams County drug arrest.
The trio — and a rolling methamphetamine lab — were picked up Monday night.
Mark Clark, 33, was arrested at 7:30 on charges of possession of a shake and bake rolling meth lab, which Sheriff Chuck Mayfield said was not in operation. Materials to make the drug were recovered on the scene, including some in plain view and others in a plastic container.
Clark, his wife Christy and their pet duck Daisy were staying at the Terrace Motel on 426 U.S. 61 North. Clark is from Kentucky and had a job in Natchez, Mayfield said.
Clark’s wife and Daisy were released.
According to Clark, the lab was to make meth for personal use. Mayfield said people arrested with a lab very seldom limit the drugs produced to personal use, which is still illegal, but distributing the drug carries a heavier sentence.
Metro Narcotics agents were acting on an anonymous tip that there was a possible drug lab in the motel and obtained permission to search the room.
Agents seized a small amount of meth and marijuana.
Agents waited at the scene until the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics arrived to clean up and take possession of the hazardous materials, which they will destroy.
Mayfield said a local veterinarian was called in to assist with the duck, which scampered under the bed during the arrest.
Read More

Whole Wheat Calzones

March 17, 2010

I planned on doing a no meat week, but that didn't work out. I watched Food Network and got the urge to cook. I've been saying I wanted to make calzones for weeks, but just haven't gotten around to it. Well tonight I had time, and they turned out really good.

Calzones:
Serves 4
Start off with your crust, if you would rather do store bought pie crust to save time be my guest, I just keep the stuff on hand to do a whole wheat pizza crust so I saved a few bucks and went with it.

Pizza Dough:

To make 12 ounces dough:

  • 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 package quick-rising yeast, (2 1/4 teaspoons), such as Fleischmann's RapidRise
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2-2/3 cup hot water, (120-130°F)
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

  1. Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Combine hot water and oil in a measuring cup. With the motor running, gradually pour in enough of the hot liquid until the mixture forms a sticky ball. The dough should be quite soft. If it seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water; if too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. Process until the dough forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead.
  2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Coat a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it, sprayed-side down, over the dough. Let the dough rest for 10 to 20 minutes before rolling.
Filling:
1/2 medium onion
1 small bell pepper
6oz Canadian bacon
Small bag of finely shredded Mozzarella cheese

While waiting on the dough to rise dice half a medium onion and a small pepper, and Canadian bacon. Saute in a skillet until onions and peppers are softened. Set aside/

After dough as risen cut into four even pieces and roll out into a thin round shape.

Spoon onion, pepper, and bacon mixture evenly onto pizza dough. Top with cheese. 
 Brush egg wash (1 egg beaten, and water) along edges of half the dough. Fold over into a crescent shape.
Use fork to seal edges. Had I thought ahead I would have done this on my pizza stone and not on the counter. If you do as I did and your calzones get stuck to the counter simply use a spatula to pick them up and transfer to your pizza stone without tearing a whole in them.
After your calzones are transferred to your pizza stone use a fork to poke a few holes in the top to allow steam to escape while baking.
Next use your remaining egg wash and brush the outside of your calzones. This will give them a golden brown sheen while baking.
Sprinkle top with salt, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese. And bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes.
Depending on how your oven cooks they may take up to 15 minutes. I have a gas oven and it cooks pretty quick.

Now if you are from North Louisiana you will know what I am talking about. We are Johnny's Pizza people and have to have nacho cheese sauce and marinara sauce to dip our pizza in. The first time my Mom suggested nacho cheese sauce I thought she was nuts, but after dating Jeremy for awhile it became a staple.
    While cooking the dogs stood in the kitchen and watched very intently, kind of made me feel like an episode of Paula's Home Cooking considering her old lab is always in the kitchen. Needless to say this continued until we were eating, I thought I could throw them off by giving them a beef stick. Maddie took her and ran off. Ellie looked at it and then looked at me like "That isn't what you were cooking!"

    Maddie then ran over and stole Ellie's. She didn't budge, and honestly I haven't heard her in a little while so it is safe to assume she is still in the kitchen waiting to get her calzone. Greedy daschund.

    Oh and please ignore the ugly floor, I can't wait to buy a house and stop renting. All of the rent houses here appear to have not been updated since 1991.
    Read More

    Happy St. Patrick's Day

    I'm not Irish, in fact I'm a mix of Puerto Rican, French Canadian, and Native American. Can you say MUT? Even though I'm not Irish I still am allowed the right to pinch the mess out of my husband who is still asleep because he isn't wearing green. But I'm the nice sort of wife and I'll wait until his alarm goes off and I'll just get him when he hits sooze.

    The Daschund to the right isn't mine, sadly,  but I just can't resist a cute compliant Daschund...because mine sure aren't.

    Since it is Spring Break for us, and I can't torture my class like my mother once did, I will just tell you a little story about how she nearly scared her 1st graders to drop out of elementary school.

    My mother being the cute little kid teacher decided one year that on St. Patty's day she would leave green gum and candy on the students desk and sprinkle green clover confetti all over the room. Whent he student returned hypothetically they would be told that leprechauns had raided the room and left them a surprise and they would get totally excited, eat their green gum and go on their merry way. Not so. These kids had seen the movie "Leprechaun" and freaked out! A group of them apparently were crying while the rest just freaked, all convinced that the evil leprechaun was somewhere in their room or the school.

    And this my friends is why you can't have the kind of fun you use to. People let their kids watch bad movies. And in turn kids are afraid of everything.  Which is, thanks to Stephen King, why I am afraid of clowns. {side note: My Mom tried to make me go to bed but I just HAD to watch IT with her, still don't like clowns.}
    Read More

    {wasn't that a party}

    March 16, 2010

    My whole life, literally, I've gone to festivals and anywhere else my Pop was playing music. He has been in countless bands throughout his life. When I really little I went square dancing with my grandparents all the time. My Mom even had to make me a dress that was identical to my Nanny's, and it had to twirl. I don't know a lot of people who can say they have spent their whole life following their grandfather's band around, an that makes it even cooler for me. I really like the fact that I am from of family of musicians, even though since high school I have lost my ability to really read music as well as I once did. 

    To get to the point, Pop sent me a link to their YouTube channel today. Here is a video of my favorite bass player singing "Wasn't that a Party":

    Surefire Band
    Read More

    Get a load of this

    March 15, 2010

    Recently the ULM Hawkeye ran an article that has caused quite a stir with the ULM students on Facebook and definitely with college servers around town. They allowed Joseph Roberts to write an article titled "Why I Don't Tip" against their better judgement. Not only is his reasoning for why he doesn't tip going to leave him hungry in a town full of servers who will deny this dude service he also made a whole slew of racist remarks.

    Check out the article here

    This article mess irritates me for several reasons:

    1. My husband use to write music reviews for this paper. Kind of embarrassing to say you use to work for them.
    2. We both got our undergraduate degrees from this school.
    3. Jeremy is a server, and as much as I hated it{because of people like Joseph Roberts} I worked at the same restaurant with my husband for a bit before we got married.
    4. It is embarrassing to say I am hanging around ULM long enough to get a Master's when they are allowing nut jobs to publish sheer junk.

    Obviously this guy has never been a server. I actually know who this guy is, he worked on a paper in  the Research Lab with one of our Psychology professors{my husband worked on it too} about Ecumenical theology. I don't think it is my place to air dirty laundry, but this is who the dude is in everyday life. I'm not asking him to tip, I just would like him to not be so racist and "above everyone else."

    Pray that God will soften his heart and changes his views of people. 
    If you would like specifics you can email me{info is in the contact tab}. 

    Read More

    I heart Pottery Barn

    March 14, 2010

    Yesterday while strolling through the Mall of Louisiana I happened upon Pottery Barn aka wish I could take the store home with me and saw this pretty little thing sitting in the doorway. That table is identical to mine, minus the fact we finished ours with a pecan top{like a traditional farmhouse table} and painted the bottom antique white{like that one}. I've looked up and down for a bench and chairs that I wanted and it took everything in me not to take off running with that bench out of the store.

    The bench was $399, and I am not going to buy it {sad face}. I want to stick to my original plan and get solid wood pieces or antique/flea market pieces and finish them myself. So that has led me to venturing to the unfinished furniture store to hunt for a bench and a few ladder back chairs.

    But again I am torn so give me your opinion. Do I want two benches and two really cool antique looking fabric chairs for the ends or should I stick to the one bench and a few ladder backs?




    {hopefully this is what our table will look like when I am done}


    Read More

    {no makeup spring break}

    March 12, 2010

    Yay for Spring Break!

    Nay for research paper.

    And a really big yay for the Vidalia Vikings going to the Cajun Dome tonight for the State Championship game!

    Tomorrow is "no makeup Saturday" and I have big plans. I am heading to ole Vi-Lou to meet up with my Mom then drive to Baton Rouge to attend my friend Brittany's son's 1st birthday party. Then we are going shopping...Jeremy want another wallet. I got him addicted to ALDO. He has been warned though, I can not be held accountable for what happens in that store. I love my ALDO purse, it has held up great over the two years I've had it(since it hasn't been stolen yet, my first one was).

    Don't worry though, I may not be wearing makeup but I will be wearing a cute dress and sandals I got at Target the other day. Can't going around looking too crazy. But the rest of the break will be spent, sadly, working out and writing a research paper. No fun.

    Read More

    {wednesday}

    March 10, 2010

    Update: Today was much better. I'll take fake any day over "I'm scared because your a loose cannon."

    Do you know what we love?

    Well, Ellie loves three things...okay make that four.
    -naps
    -looking out the front door
    -long dog{that Maddie has deconstructed but Ellie still loves by the way}
    -eating

    Have you ever read the book "If You Give a Moose a Muffin"? That is Ellie, but she wants food, naps{in the bed}, and her long dog. If you give her one she will ask for another. As I type this Jeremy opened the cabinet and Ellie went from dead asleep to running in here just to see what she could get.

    Fat dog.

    ............................................

    Has anyone else had a funky junk week? This week couldn't get more funky junk than it already is for me. What is bad is every morning and afternoon I've been so excited about listening to my Beth Moore book on CD but this afternoon I just needed quiet. I didn't call my husband on the way home or anything, I just need time to think. The easiest way to put this is that it would have been much easier to just leave the elephant in the room. Sometimes elephants are just better left alone. People have told me that the first year is the worst...and I sure hope that. 

    Why is respect always the key player in all big upheaval?

    Guess I am just going to sit here and eat my salsa and hope tomorrow is better. Tomorrow is a new day.

    Today's whole incident just worries me. I'm a worrier by nature about everything. Funny though when something like this occurs and leaves me to my usual freak out the same scripture always comes to mind, Matthew 6:25-35. I just love the last two lines and try to say them to myself whenever something like this is going on.

    Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34

    The day Jeremy left for Africa I just happened to open my Bible to this verse. Every time I would get upset or worried about him being there I would just say it to myself. God is in control of today and tomorrow. I don't have to try to control it. I am a huge control freak so this is hard for me, maybe that is why God throws this verse at me every time I turn into my crazy worrying self again. Amazingly those two sentences gave me peace and helped me to trust God that Jeremy would be safe, and if something happened it was God's will.

    Today was today. Hopefully the bad things are in the past.
    Read More

    For Sale

    March 8, 2010

    I did not just seriously ask my husband for a kiss because I was going to bed and get a full on wet kiss from this dog:

    Maddie is apparently quicker than Jeremy. And I am guessing comprehends the phrase "Gimme a kiss" faster than he does as well.

    So if you would like one Maddie is offering up bedtime kisses to any and all who stop by out house. The only thing she won't kiss is grabby kids, she can't stand grabby kids. I think this is because she likes to be the aggressor. She is up for anything, on the cheek, tongue, you name it she is down for it.

    I'm goning to go brush my teeth now and pretend that didn't just happen.



    Read More

    It's No Makeup Saturday!

    March 6, 2010

    So is every Saturday for that matter. I have never ever liked to wear makeup on Saturday. My skin hates it and we have come to an agreement, Saturday is my face's day off of work too.

    So yes that means I went to the Northeast Louisiana Technology Fair today with zero makeup, jeans, my Saints t-shirt, and tennis shoes.

    I am also about to go to a Shane and Shane concert. And like a good girl I am religiously following my traditon of no makeup Saturday and attending this sucker in the same thing I wore to NLTF today.

    God bless all the poor people in the world who will see my makeupless face tonight. My poor face looked a lot better before the 7 1/2 hour conference. Sorry if you have a problem with it dear people, I like to give a skin and hair a break once a week...and the good Lord knows if I showed up to church like this tomorrow it would be time to commit my looney butt to the bin. So that dear friends is why it is No Makeup Saturday...and not No Makeup Sunday. These black circles don't count as my "Sunday best" by any Southern standard.

    Read More

    Show Us Your Life

    March 5, 2010

    Today at Kelly's Korner the Show Us Your Life topic is "What is your typical day life?"
    Show Us Your Life with Kelly's Korner

    Here is my boring teacher/grad student daily grind:

    5:20am wake up and start getting ready to leave
    6:25am out the door and headed to work
    7:10am finally get to work and clock in, also see what the kids have gotten into.
    7:40am Start teaching
    3:20pm Leave work
    4:00pm Get home, eat something quick and get ready for class.
    5:00pm Class, either Research or Physical Education Program Development.
    7:45pm Get out of class and go home, unless the professor has mercy on us and I get to leave at 7:20.
    8:00pm Catch up on blogs, twitter and TV.
    9:00pm Bedtime!

    Boring right? And totally lacking free time. This is why I love that we bought the new Beth Moore book on audio so I can listen to it in the car, since I am in there so much. Got to make use of any down time, even if it involves driving.

    What's your day like?

    Read More